Main Article Content

Authors

The pandemic caused by covid-19 led university students
to face a situation with great demands and the
need to adapt to a new personal and academic lifestyle.
To explore the psychological adjustment in this
specific population, the present investigation aimed to
analyze the relationship between psychopathological
symptoms and coping strategies in a sample of 636
Portuguese university students, mostly female (68.1 %)
with an average age of 22.2 years (SD = 5.98). A sociodemographic
questionnaire, the Psychopathological
Symptoms Inventory (BSI) and the Coping Strategies
Questionnaire were applied. The main results show
that female students have higher values in all dimensions
of BSI. There were also associations between
escape/avoidance strategies and psychopathological
symptoms. This study has important implications for
the approach to university health services, namely in
terms of mental health prevention and intervention
within the target population.

Simoes, M., Sani, A. I., Correia, E., Monteiro, A. P., Azevedo, M. da C., Cunha, P., … Carvalho Relva, I. (2025). Psychological Adjustment and Coping Strategies in College Students During the Covid-19 Pandemic. Avances En Psicología Latinoamericana, 42(3). https://doi.org/10.12804/revistas.urosario.edu.co/apl/a.10147

Almeida, D. M., & Kessler, R. C. (1998). Everyday stressors and gender differences in daily distress. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 75, 670-680. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.75.3.670 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037//0022-3514.75.3.670

Asmundson, G. J. G., & Taylor, S. (2020). How health anxiety influences responses to viral outbreaks like COVID-19: What all decision-makers, health authorities, and health care professionals need to know. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 71, Article 102211. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2020.102211 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2020.102211

Bults, M., Beaujean, D. J., De Zwart, O., Kok, G., van Empelen, P., van Steenbergen, J. E., Richardus, H., & Voeten, H. A. (2011). Perceived risk, anxiety, and behavioural responses of the general public during the early phase of the Influenza A (H1N1) pandemic in the Netherlands: Results of three consecutive online surveys. BMC Public Health, 11, Artigo 2. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-11-2 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-11-2

Canavarro, M. C., Nazaré, B., & Pereira, M. (2017). Inventário de Sintomas Psicopatológicos 18 (BSI-18). In M. M. Gonçalves, M. R. Simões, & L. Almeida (Orgs.), Psicologia clínica e da saúde: instrumentos de avaliação (pp. 115-130). Editora Pactor.

Cao, W., Fang, Z., Hou, G., Han, M., Xu, X., Dong, J., & Zheng, J. (2020). The psychological impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on college students in China. Psychiatry Research, 287, Artigo 112934. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2020.112934 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2020.112934

Craig, L., & Brown, J. E. (2017). Feeling rushed: Gendered time quality, work hours, nonstandard work schedules, and spousal crossover. Journal of Marriage and Family, 79(1), 225-242. https://doi.org/10.1111/jomf.12320 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jomf.12320

Cholankeril, R., Xiang, E., & Badr, H. (2023). Gender differences in coping and psychological adaptation during the COVID-19 pandemic. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(2), Artigo 993. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20020993 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20020993

Cohen, J. (1988). Set correlation and contingency tables. Applied Psychological Measurement, 12(4), 425-434. https://doi.org/10.1177/014662168801200410 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/014662168801200410

Compas, B. E., Connor-Smith, J. K., Saltzman, H., Thomsen, A. H., & Wadsworth, M. E. (2001). Coping with stress during childhood and adolescence: Problems, progress, and potential in theory and research. Psychological Bulletin, 127(1), 87-127. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.127.1.87 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037//0033-2909.127.1.87

Costa, E. S., & Leal, I. P. (2006). Estratégias de coping em estudantes do ensino superior. Análise Psicológica, 24(2), 189-199. https://doi.org/10.14417/ap.163 DOI: https://doi.org/10.14417/ap.163

Cozolino L. J. (2020). The neuroscience of human relationships: Attachment and the developing social brain (2a ed.). WW Norton & Company.

Derogatis, L. R. (1982). Self-report measures of stress. In L. Goldberger, & S. Brenznitz (Eds.), Handbook of stress (pp. 270-294). Free Press.

Eagly, A. H., & Wood, W. (2012). Social role theory. In P. van Lange, A. Kruglanski, & E. T. Higgins (Eds.), Handbook of theories in social psychology (pp. 458-476). Sage Publications. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781446249222.n49 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4135/9781446249222.n49

Espírito-Santo, H., & Matreno, J. (2015). University students’ psychopathology: Correlates and the examiner’s potential bias effect. Revista Portuguesa de Investigação Comportamental e Social, 1(1), 42-51. https://doi.org/10.7342/ismt.rpics.2015.1.1.10 DOI: https://doi.org/10.7342/ismt.rpics.2015.1.1.10

Fullana, M. A., Hidalgo-Mazzei, D., Vieta, E., & Radua, J. (2020). Coping behaviors associated with decreased anxiety and depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown. Journal of Affective Disorders, 275, 80-81. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2020.06.027 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2020.06.027

García, P. J. J., Fernández, F. M., Gallegos, L. I. F., Bencomo, E. F. O. , Lira, C. J. , & Vásquez, S. I. A. (2019). Bem-estar psicológico percebido entre estudantes universitários: um estudo comparativo por gênero. European Scientific Journal, ESJ, 15(13), 318-326. https://doi.org/10.19044/esj.2019.v15n13p318 DOI: https://doi.org/10.19044/esj.2019.v15n13p318

Gaudreau, P., Blond Hair, Jr., Joseph, F., Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., & Anderson, R. (2014). Multivariate data analysis (7a ed.). Pearson.

Gonçalves Correia Zanini, M. R., Rossato, L., & Scorsolini-Comin, F. (2022). Saúde mental, autoeficácia e adaptação universitária à pandemia de COVID-19. Jornal de Psicologia, 41(1), 185-218. https://doi.org/10.18800/psico.202301.008 DOI: https://doi.org/10.18800/psico.202301.008

Hennekam, S., & Shymko, Y. (2020). Coping with the COVID-19 crisis: Force majeure and gender performativity. Gender, Work & Organization, 27(5), 788-803. https://doi.org/10.1111/gwao.12479 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/gwao.12479

Howerton, A., & van Gundy, K. T. (2009). Sex differences in coping styles and implications for depressed mood. International Journal of Stress Management, 16(4), 333-350. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0016843 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/a0016843

Jalloh, M. F., Li, W., Bunnell, R. E., Ethier, K. A., O’Leary, A., Hageman, K. M., Sengeh, P., Jalloh, M., Morgan, O., Hersey, S., Marston, B., Dafae, F., & Redd, J. T. (2018). Impact of Ebola experiences and risk perceptions on mental health in Sierra Leone, July 2015. BMJ Global Health, 3(2), Artigo e000471. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2017-000471 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2017-000471

Jungmann, S. M., & Witthöft, M. (2020). Health anxiety, cyberchondria, and coping in the current COVID-19 pandemic: Which factors are related to coronavirus anxiety? Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 73, Artigo 102239. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2020.102239 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2020.102239

Liang, L., Ren, H., Cao, R., Hu, Y., Qin, Z., Li, C., & Mei, S. (2020). The effect of COVID-19 on youth mental health. Psychiatric Quarterly, 91, 841-852. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11126-020-09744-3 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11126-020-09744-3

Main, A., Zhou, Q., Ma, Y., Luecken, L. J., & Liu, X. (2011). Relations of SARS-related stressors and coping to Chinese college students’ psychological adjustment during the 2003 Beijing SARS epidemic. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 58(3), 410-423. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0023632 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/a0023632

Mann, F. D., Krueger, R. F., & Vohs, K. D. (2020). Personal economic anxiety in response to COVID-19. Personality and Individual Differences, 167, Artigo 110233. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2020.110233 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2020.110233

Marôco, J. (2011). Análise estatística com utilização do SPSS (5ª ed). Report Number.

Matud, M. P. (2004). Gender differences in stress and coping styles. Personality and Individual Differences, 37(7), 1401-1415. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2004.01.010 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2004.01.010

McDonough, P., & Walters, W. (2001). Gender and health: Reassessing patterns and explanations. Social Science & Medicine, 52(4), 547-559. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0277-9536(00)00159-3 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0277-9536(00)00159-3

Miller, S. M., & Kirsch, N. (1987). Sex differences in cognitive coping with stress. In R. C. Barnett, L. Biener, & G. K. Baruch (Eds.), Gender & stress (pp. 278-307). The Free Press.

Ouakinin, S., & Barreira, D. (2015). Solidão e saúde mental. Acta Médica Portuguesa, 28(1), 130-132. https://actamedicaportuguesa.com/revista/index.php/amp/article/viewFile/6162/4224. DOI: https://doi.org/10.20344/amp.6162

Pais-Ribeiro, J., & Santos, C. (2001). Estudo conservador de adaptação do Ways of Coping Questionnaire a uma amostra e contexto portugueses. Análise Psicológica, 19(4), 491-502. https://scielo.pt/pdf/aps/v19n4/v19n4a01.pdf DOI: https://doi.org/10.14417/ap.379

Paulino, M., Dumas-Diniz, Brissos, S., Brites, R. Alho, L., Simões, M., & Silva, C. F. (2020). COVID-19 in Portugal: Exploring the immediate psychological impact on the general population. Psychology, Health & Medicine, 26(1), 44-55. https://doi10.1080/13548506.2020.1808236 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13548506.2020.1808236

Pereda, N., Forns, M., & Peró, M. (2007). Dimensional structure of the Brief Symptom Inventory with Spanish college students. Psicothema, 19(4), 634-639. https://www.redalyc.org/pdf/727/72719415.pdf

Ptacek, J. T., Smith, R. E., & Zanas, J. (1992). Gender, appraisal, and coping: A longitudinal analysis. Journal of Personality, 60(4), 747-770. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6494.1992.tb00272.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6494.1992.tb00272.x

Qian, M., Ye, D., Zhong, J., Xu, K., Zhang, L., Huang, Z., Dong, W., Liu, X., Zhang, X., Zhang, Z., Wang, C., & Nie, J. (2005). Behavioural, cognitive and emotional responses to SARS: Differences between college students in Beijing and Suzhou. Stress and Health, 21(2), 87-98. https://doi.org/10.1002/smi.1043 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/smi.1043

Rajkumar, R. P. (2020). COVID-19 and mental health: A review of the existing literature. Asian Journal of Psychiatry, 52, Artigo 102066. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajp.2020.102066 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajp.2020.102066

Skinner, E. A., & Wellborn, J. G. (1994). Coping during childhood and adolescence: A motivational perspective. In D. Featherman, R. Lerner, & M. Perlmutter (Eds.), Life-span development and behavior (pp. 91-133). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315789255-3

Sohrabi, C., Alsafi, Z., O’Neill, N., Khan, M., Kerwan, A., Al-Jabir, A., Iosifidis, C., & Agha, R. (2020). World Health Organization declares global emergency: A review of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). International Journal of Surgery, 76, 71-76. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsu.2020.02.034 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsu.2020.02.034

Torres-Montiel, S., Pelaez-Hernandez, V., Robles-Uribe, B., Perez-CabañAs, E., Figueroa-Herrera, F., Orea-Tejeda, A., Gonzalez-Islas, D., Sanchez-Santillan, R., Verdeja-Vendrell, L., Perez-Cortes, G., Navarrete-PeñAloza, A., Castillo-Aguilar, L., & Jiménez-Cepeda, A. (2017). Gender differences in perceived stress, psychological well-being and therapeutic compliance. European Respiratory Journal, 50 (suppl. 61), PA3897. https://doi.org/10.1183/1393003.congress-2017.PA3897 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1183/1393003.congress-2017.PA3897

Trzebiński, J., Cabański, M., & Czarnecka, J. Z. (2020). Reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic: The influence of meaning in life, life satisfaction, and assumptions on world orderliness and positivity. Journal of Loss and Trauma, 25(6-7), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1080/15325024.2020.1765098 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15325024.2020.1765098

Wong, T. W., Gao, Y., & Tam, W. W. S. (2007). Anxiety among university students during the SARS epidemic in Hong Kong. Stress and Health, 23(1), 31-35. https://doi.org/10.1002/smi.1116 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/smi.1116

Zanini, D. S., Forns, M., & Kirchener, T. (2005). Coping response and problem appraisal in Spanish adolescent. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 100(1), 153-166. https://doi.org/10.2466/pms.100.1.153-166 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2466/pms.100.1.153-166

Zheng, Z., Wenyue, H., Yawen, L., Dongyan, W., Simeng, G., & Fushun, W. (2020). The mediating effect of coping style in the relationship between depression and disordered eating among Chinese female undergraduates. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, Artigo 3011. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.03011 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.03011

Zhu, J., Sun, L., Zhang, L., Wang, H., Fan, A., Yang, B., Li, W., & Xiao, S. (2020). Prevalence and influencing factors of anxiety and depression symptoms in the first-line medical staff fighting against COVID-19 in Gansu. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 11, Artigo 386. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00386 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00386

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.